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Reviews: Thoughtful, accessible, and engaging.... This volume shows readers the power and value of the constructionist approach to social problems.
— Kent Sandstrom, North Dakota State University
Uses cutting-edge case studies to explore how social problems come to be regarded as such. There really is nothing else like this on the market.
— Kathryn Fox, University of Vermont
Description: Internet addiction. Cell-phone-distracted drivers. Teen suicide. Economic recession. The health risks of trans fats. The carefully selected collection of case studies in Making Sense of Social Problems is designed to help students understand and critically evaluate a wide range of contemporary social issues.
The cases are organized to highlight a series of key elements:
• why “objective” claims deserve critical attention
• how advocates bring attention to issues
• why expert interpretations may change over time
• the role of the media in shaping or distorting concerns
• the consequences of public policy
The introduction, conclusion, and section notes provide a coherent framework for the text. Reflecting the promise of the constructionist approach, the result is a powerful set of tools for systematically investigating social problems. It can be used to advantage as a “stand-alone,” as well as with such texts as Joel Best’s Social Problems.
Contents: Studying the Construction of Social Problems – Scott R. Harris • Part 1 The Nature of Claims • Teen Suicide: A Tale of Two Communities – Marguerite L. O’Leary and Joel Best • Cell Phone Use While Driving: Defining a Problem as Worthy of Action – Peter F. Parilla • Part 2 Claimsmakers • The Pet Grief Industry: Framing the Problem of Pet Death – Nancy Berns • The Movement Linking Vaccines to Autism: Parents and the Internet – Victor W. Perez • Old Skeletons, Pagans, and Museums: Why Ancient Human Remains Are a Bone of Contention – Tiffany Jenkins • Part 3 Questioning Experts • Wankers, Inverts, and Addicts: The Scientific Construction of Sexuality as a Social Problem – Liahna E. Gordon • Murdered Mothers: The Social Construction of Troubling Statistics – Keith Roberts Johnson • Prophets in the Wilderness: Predicting Financial Collapse – John Barnshaw • Part 4 The Role of the Media • Abortion and Adoption: “Choosing Life” and the Problem of Regret – Jennifer L. Dunn • The Evolution of Internet Addiction – David Schweingruber and Michelle Horstmeier • Breaking News on Nancy Grace: Violent Crime in the Media – Brian A. Monahan and R. J. Maratea • Part 5 Policy Outcomes • In the Shadow of Saturated Fat: The Struggle to Get Trans Fats Noticed – Rachel J. Bacon • Casinos and Smoke-Free Legislation: Claimsmaking About Policy Outcomes – Jenine K. Harris • Global Policy Outcomes: Comparing Reactions to Post-Tsunami Aid – Lynn Letukas • Part 6 Afterword • Three Questions for Constructionism – Scott R. Harris and Joel BestISBN - 9788130923703
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Pages : 344
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